Cocktails anyone? Lacquer bamboo Trays from Cat Dang village set a playful scene. They’re versatile enough to go beyond serving drinks and can be used on a dresser to organize makeup or on a coffee table to hold a stack of books.

As other trade village, Cat Dang encountered a long difficult period because of lacking the customers. In recent years, The development of selling coiled bamboo lacquer wares into foreign countries makes the artwork at Cat Dang village more attractive to the young villagers because of high salary. Many workers in other provinces have been lured to work in the village. After being trained by skilful artisans, apprentices can work in businesses and will be shared secrets in making lacquer products. With such enormous efforts, a labor force of 600 workers from other provinces has been created. Those workers along with native workers have produced unique products and created increasing revenue to the village.

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Such luxurious products of the old days are not practical in the market nowadays. Thus, to develop, Cat Dang trade village has to count on reliable such manufacturers and exporters such as Cat Dang handicraft Co., LTD to understand and keep up with the foreign market requirements. Thanks to the collaboration, skillful village artisans of Cat Dang are able to enjoy their traditional passionate artwork while earning high income to support their families. As a result, sophisticated products for home decoration, kitchen accessories, bath accessories such as stools and tables, decor vases, bowls, trays and plates which reflect the soul of Cat Dang people have made deep impression in foreign consumers and continue to develop in the variety with the use of ecofriendly natural materials Luong-Dendrocalamus Membraneceus, Buong-Gigantochloa Levis, Tre Gai-Bambusa Bambos, and Nua-Neuhouzeaua. These bamboo materials are light, strong, soft and cheap, therefore it is gradually replaced traditional wooden materials.

The village products not only become favorite products of domestic consumers but also attract many international tourists. Importers from the US, Japan, France, UK and Germany highly appreciate those products. The village produces about several hundred thousand products annually which create a revenue of about VND100 billion. Particularly, a large percentage of the revenue is sourced from exports.

Product decoration is an art of a superb implementation, a painting art for creating vignettes or various decorative colors. The main material for painting is polyurethane, water-based paint with some production units using natural paints such as Vietnamese lacquer or cashew nut as well. According to master craftsmen in the village, paint preparation and spraying are the most difficult stages. Secrets of the trade are maintained in these stages. Many apprentices from other regions come to Cat Dang but the results of their painting technique aren’t comparable with those of Cat Dang villagers. Notably, Cat Dang villagers have a secret treatment to preclude deterioration because of rain; their coats of paint will not fade while others must wait for the sun to re-paint. Many master craftsmen of Cat Dang village have opened vocational training in different regions, and they are famous throughout as the supreme talents of Cat Dang village.

After many carefully-controlled and elaborate steps at households in Cat Dang village, the nearly-accomplished products will undergo a process of fixing, checking the quality and packaging at Cat Dang handicraft Co., LTD. workshop. The finished product will meet the needs of customers and just wait for exporting abroad.

Although passed through a number of ups and downs, the talent and creativity of Cat Dang villagers continued shining consistently in the cooperation with Cat Dang handicraft Co., LTD. Lacquer wares of coiled bamboo with outstanding properties such as lighter, cheaper, and better quality product have attracted many customers and been exported to many countries. Thanks to the support of Cat Dang handicraft Co., LTD., the village products have been introduced to the US , EU importers and have taken part in exhibitions and fairs within and outside the country.